The Power of an Online Education

June 23, 2009

When you earn a degree online from Excelsior College, it can improve your life and the life of your family in the same way that earning a degree from a traditional four-year college can. Excelsior College is accredited academically by the same organization that accredits other four-year colleges and universities.

Today, many employers consider an online degree as valuable as a degree from an on-campus school. A recent Excelsior College/Zogby International Distance Learning Survey of more than 1,500 CEOs and business owners confirmed that 83% of them strongly believe a degree from an online college is as credible and valid as one from a traditional campus-based school.

In fact, many employers consider online degrees more valuable because many online learners work full-time and have family obligations. These added responsibilities cause employers to see online college graduates as being more disciplined and hard working than graduates of traditional colleges. Employers also know that online learners have Internet and technology skills thanks to their online educational experience. These are advantages you can emphasize during job interviews to make yourself more qualified.

The truth is, Latinos are the fastest-growing college enrollment group in the U.S.1 And because of its convenience and growing credibility, enrollment in online colleges is growing at around 30% a year.2 It’s becoming such a force, 75% of traditional colleges and universities in the U.S. now offer online courses or degree programs in addition to their normal on-campus course offerings.3

In addition to being more accepted than ever, an online degree can make a huge difference in the money you can earn. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007, the average annual income of someone with a high school education was $27,915. The average salary for someone with a college degree was $51,206. That’s $25,000 more per year, or about $1 million more over the course of a normal 40 year working life.

Higher income is only part of the online education advantage, though. Getting your degree online at Excelsior College, for example, can happen sooner than you might think. Excelsior College was founded on the principle of giving working adults a more flexible way to finish their college degree. So, their flexible transfer credit policies give you more credits for the credits you have already earned. Plus, you can earn credits toward your degree with Excelsior based on your corporate or military training. You can even take Excelsior College® Examinations and qualify for credits based on what you already know from your career or life experience.

Earning a college degree can help you feel better about yourself and your future. It sets a great example for your children and family. And it helps you earn the respect of everyone who knows you. The truth is, your college degree can change your life dramatically.

Earning your degree online is also something you can do without moving to a campus or leaving your job. You can earn your degree online from Excelsior College no matter where you live in the U.S. or the world, for that matter. You can study when it is convenient for you, on your schedule, because all course material is always available online 24/7.

Getting your degree online also doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with your fellow students. Excelsior College offers virtual classrooms where you can interact with your professor and your classmates. You can also share thoughts, ideas and experiences about your courses and other topics with other Excelsior students. And since Excelsior is on a variety of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, you can stay in touch not only during college, but also long after you graduate.

The world is your “campus” when you’re earning your degree online with Excelsior College. And online learners everywhere are your classmates.